Covered Soul
by Delcesca Newby
Summary: A horrible event in her past drives Bella to be the killer that she is today. She's closed off and bitter, but that all changes when she's given a mission in Forks, Washington. What happens when love grows between her and someone she's supposed to hate?
1. New Mission

**Author: Me, Delcesca Newby. No duh. **

**Rating: T for strong, very strong language, and later on maybe some nudity. **

**Author's Note: This is absolutely nothing like Twilight. Yes, there are still vampires and werewolves, but the plot doesn't follow Twilight. So please do not be expecting the characters to act like they do in the book, or for certain couples to be present. It's a good story, though, so if you're looking for that, please consider to give this story a chance. I'm positive you won't be disappointed. **

**Well I hope everyone enjoys, and pretty please give me a review. I want to know what you all think. It's what helps make the story better and keeps me buring with the desire to continue on.**

**I do not own Twilight.

* * *

**

The cool darkness of midnight surrounded me like a thick blanket as I moved with a jaguar's grace from one high stack of boxes to another. I made no noise as I crept along at a careful, steady pace, and the harpy that my eyes were locked on had no idea that I was so close to her; that I could smell the very essence of evil radiating from her body; that I was about to end her wretched existence once and for all. She just continued to feed from the poor man that I had watched her corner outside and kill in an alley almost an hour ago.

The only sounds in the entire warehouse were from the crunching of bones, the gurgle of entrails down the harpy's throat, and the breathing from Tristan, my fairy. He was down on ground level and the only reason that I could hear him—it was actually more like a sixth sense of him than anything else— was because of our bond.

I hopped to the next stack of boxes, my black leather boots silent as they touched cardboard. Were they all that practical for monster slaying? Not in the slightest with their flash and expensiveness, but I loved them nonetheless and had worn them on every single mission I'd been given over the past seven months since I got home.

_Bella_, Tristan whispered suddenly inside my head. I flinched at the sound of his voice. I never liked it when he communicated with me like that, especially on missions. I realized that it was a vital part of keeping us both alive, but out of all the things that my bond with Tristan brought I wished this one didn't exist.

_I think I should be the one to take her down. I'm in the perfect position to_—

_No!_ I snapped, barring my teeth down in his general direction; not that he would be able to see. _This is my mission, and I'm the slayer. You're just my sidekick. _

_I am not_, Tristan growled. _I'm as important as you, if not more. I'm your equal. _

_Ha!_ I suppressed a chuckle. _Dream on little fairy boy. I don't need you. I could slay every single monster in the world all by myself. _

_You're a cocky, ungrateful bitch_, Tristan hissed.

_And don't you forget it_, I smiled, almost cruelly. _You listen to me and_—

My thought was cut short as my boots scraped loudly against the box that I had just stepped on, and my heart almost stopped from shock and anger (at myself for being distracted and at Tristan for distracting me). Instantly the harpy's face snapped around to stare directly at me. Her twisted features were covered with wine red blood and tiny bits of tissue clung to the places around her mouth. She was a disgusting sight, and my stomach would have churned if I hadn't of seen worse things than her in the past four years.

The harpy's eyes, a fiery green color, widened in surprise for a few moments and then squinted with fury. She knew what I was and what I was here to do, and now she was pissed. I swore under my breath and braced myself for her attack; my hand circling around the dagger that I pulled from the sheath strapped to my thigh. I expected her to take off into the air and attack me that way, as was the way most harpies attacked, but she took me totally by surprise by running on her large, scaly legs toward the high stack of boxes on which I was standing. In a matter of seconds her ugly, practically bald head smashed into the bottom box, and I, having no time to brace myself, fell the ten or so feet to the concrete floor below. I landed with a loud thud; my skull bouncing.

"Shit!" I screeched as I felt warmth spread throughout the back of my head. I sat up in rage, ready to do the nasty bitch in, when all of a sudden her bulky form had me pinned on my back. I tried to grab my dagger, which had fallen beside me, but the harpy's greasy and foul-smelling bird torso was difficult to maneuver around, and I couldn't quite reach it.

"Get off," I huffed, pushing against her with all my strength.

"Slayer!" the harpy hissed, her nails plunging deep into my thighs. I howled with pain and shoved her again. "So young and tender, you'll be a sweet treat."

"Not in this life time," I growled, punching her in the face. The harpy cried out in outrage and hooked her nails into my arm. I tore it away, my shirt and skin getting shredded to pieces in the process. "You mother fucking ass," I clipped out, biting my lip against the agony.

"Quiet, food!" the harpy roared and head butted me. For a moment I saw stars and that gave her time to sink her long talons into the flesh above my hips. The instant pain brought me back to Earth and with all my might I tried to roll her off of me. My actions accomplished nothing but getting the harpy even angrier. She hit me hard across the face with her feathered hand, and then held me down by my throat as she smiled at me with a cruel glint sparking in her eyes.

"Yes, you should be very tasty," she cooed as she slowly bent down to start chewing at the spot where my heart was. "The feisty ones always are," she whispered.

I gurgled out a reply and struggled, but it was no use. She had me. I was going to be harpy chow.

Suddenly the harpy hissed and I watched as something thin and steel-looking shot out of her chest; blood spraying all over my face. She screeched loudly and tumbled off me. I began coughing violently as air rushed back into my windpipe.

"She's dead. Oh shit, Bella!" Tristan yelled as he bent over me.

"Y-your…f-fault," I said, my voice a gravely noise that was barely human.

"I told you that I should have—never mind," Tristan said, shaking his head. His dark brown eyes raked over my body quickly and then settled back on my face. "I'm going to put you out, OK?" he asked.

"How bad am I?"

"Bad enough," Tristan replied as he avoided meeting my gaze. "You need to be unconscious or the shock of my repairs might kill you."

"Just work your magic," I grumbled. Tristan nodded once and then began to mumble something ancient and thick with power under his breath. Instantly I felt the effects of his spell as I began to drift off into nothingness, sweet nothingness.

* * *

My eyes opened and I sat up sharply. My sore body protested the jerky movement, and I swore under my breath as pain shot through every single one of my nerves. I gritted my teeth, riding out torture. Soon it faded to a throbbing ache. I moved my head slowly to evaluate my surroundings and found that the sun was shining through the small window on the east side of my room; the room that I've had ever since I was first brought home from the hospital seventeen years ago. And not much has changed about it. It was still the same faded purple color that my mom had painted it all that time ago, though now my bed was a queen-sized mattress instead of a crib and my weapons of choice (all specially crafted for me; each one a symbol of my commitment to my job) hung on the walls with a menacing air, replacing the sweet Mother Goose scenes that used to be there.

I smiled at them and threw my comforter off my body. The cool air of early morning that filled my room stung the exposed flesh of my legs (I was in a thick nightgown that came down to my knees), but I ignored it.

I gingerly pulled myself out of bed, hissing through the agony of my muscles moving.

"I fucked up big time," I said to myself as I searched for my fuzzy black slippers. "God damn it," I growled as I hobbled all over my room.

I found my slippers behind my desk (no clue how they got there) and after I put them on, I started for my bedroom door. I first made my way to the bathroom, did my business, and then headed toward the kitchen. It took me a lot longer on the stairs than I liked, but I had to move slowly. I didn't dare go any faster and risk falling.

About fifteen minutes later I was at the kitchen's doorway. I gazed inside and found Tristan sitting at the small table, a laptop in front of him. He was typing furiously, but stopped and snapped his head up the moment he sensed I was in the room.

"Go back to bed," he ordered sternly.

I ignored him and shuffled my way over to the pantry. I grabbed a box of Lucky Charms, got a bowl and spoon from their personal drawers, and set them on the other side of the table, as far away from Tristan as I could get.

"Bella, you need to get more rest. It'll take you almost a day longer to heal if you don't."

I didn't respond as I opened the fridge and got out a half gallon of milk. That went with everything else.

"Fine. Screw you," Tristan barked and went back to his typing.

I acted like he didn't exist as I poured myself a giant bowl of cereal and then added milk. I sat in the chair with my legs bent into my chest (wincing against the pain) and began to slowly eat my breakfast.

"Don't ever do that again," I suddenly said into the tension filled silence that had fallen between the two of us. Tristan looked up at me and scowled, his fair features twisting grotesquely.

"What? Save your life?"

"It wouldn't have to have been saved if you wouldn't talk on damn missions. You distract me all the fucking time," I said, my voice as cold as ice.

"Things would've worked out if your ego wasn't so big," Tristan snapped back.

"Next time just keep your big mouth shut."

"You're welcome, Bella," Tristan said sarcastically, the words clipping out of his mouth. "I know how much it means to you that I patched you up so that you wouldn't bleed to death."

I didn't respond as I deposited another spoonful of cereal into my mouth and chewed it purposefully.

Tristan rolled his eyes.

We were quiet for almost ten minutes, me taking my sweet time eating (just to annoy the hell out of him) and Tristan back to work on his laptop. This was how a lot of mornings went between the two of us, especially after a mission. Not on every single one did he have to heal me, but every mission Tristan helped out in some way. And I never thanked him, never told him how much I appreciated what he did. A deeply buried part of my conscience wanted to, knew that I should because Tristan had saved my life more times than I could count, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. A twisted part of my brain believed that saying 'thank you' was admitting that I wasn't strong enough to take care of myself, and I was too stubborn to feel that way again.

"Curious to what I'm doing?" Tristan mumbled, breaking his silent streak. It was almost always him that cracked first.

"Nope," I said, slurping some milk from my spoon.

"Headquarters contacted me first thing this morning," Tristan pressed on like I'd answered him differently.

"So?"

"You've been assigned a new mission, and since you're apparently all better from the disaster last night you can get a head start on it."

"What?" I hissed. "They've never given me two missions in two days. Don't they know that I need time to recover in case something happened? What the fucking hell?"

"Calm down before you blow a blood vessel," Tristan almost laughed, looking very pleased with the reaction he got out of me. He loved pissing me off, just as I did him. We had a weird relationship that was always toeing the line between hate and love; hate most days.

"My blood vessels are fucking fine," I snapped, causing a giggle to escape Tristan lips. "Explain this nonsense right now," I demanded, glaring wildly.

"This mission isn't like others that you've had," Tristan said after he got himself under control. "It's not a stalk, corner, and kill operation. You'll actually be observing a coven of vampires and reporting your findings back to Headquarters."

"Why? What's the point? Aren't they all the same?"

"No, the coven you'll be observing contains a few interesting members that Headquarters is curious about," Tristan explained.

"Like?" I pressed, already making up my mind that I despised this assignment. I wasn't trained to be a researcher. I wasn't a fairy. I was a killer, and killing monsters thrilled me to my core. It was my job to get rid of the filth that lurched in the shadows, just waiting to pounce on innocents (humans). I was one of the few that kept humans safe and ignorantly blissful. And I loved it. Being forced to do anything other than my job pissed me off and turned me into a total, raving bitch other than the sarcastic bitch I was most days.

"One can control emotions, another can read minds, and a third has visions of what's to come," Tristan said, his voice taking on the school teacher-ish tone that he got when he was explaining something.

"That's all?" I said, hardly impressed. "I've encountered demons that can melt a mountain with a passing thought. These vampires are nothing; not worth my time."

"Individually they may not be, but together they pose a very serious threat, especially since they've been a coven for almost five years."

"You think they've formed a bond?" I asked, slightly curious. If two or more vampires remained in a coven for five years then a bond formed between them, pooling their strengths together and making them a deadly, dangerous force. A coven bond was one of the most feared things in the slayer world and Headquarters did everything in their power to keep one from happening.

"That's what Headquarters believes," Tristan said

"So why would they be observed? Shouldn't I be killing them off?"

"Headquarters is curious as to the bond that has formed or is forming between this coven. You know that most vampires with abilities tend to be loners, so three in a coven is like finding a five-eyed fish."

"I don't think I can do this mission," I said. "I'll end up killing them the first second I lay my eyes on them. That's too many threats in one area. I wouldn't be able to resist."

"If you turn this mission down then you'll never have a chance at running your own team," Tristan said, throwing out bait that he knew I wouldn't be able to resist. My biggest dream was to be leader of my own team of slayers.

"Is that what Laura Hindersmith said?" She was the one who ran the slayer business. In fact, it had been her great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather that started it in the first place. His youngest daughter had been kidnapped and killed by a werewolf, and Jonathan Hindersmith had vowed that he'd hunt down every werewolf until they were wiped clean from Earth. Shortly afterward he'd found out that there were hundreds, maybe thousands, of monsters beside werewolves and he'd made it his duty to get rid of every single one. At first it was just him and his two sons that were hunting monsters, but soon others had joined him—ones that had suffered like the Hindersmith family—and the business grew from there.

Slayers were everywhere now, but there still weren't enough of us to make a dent in the monster population. But because of us most monsters cowered in the dark, leaving the majority of humans alone. That was something at least.

"No, but you know it's true," Tristan said.

"God, I hate it when you throw that shit into the pot," I hissed, sitting back in my chair. I rubbed my temples with my fingertips; all the while feeling Tristan's eyes on me as he waited for my answer. After a minute or so, I made up my mind and nodded my head.

"Fine I'll do it," I muttered.

"Good, then you should get packing," Tristan announced, making me snap up straight in my chair.

"Excuse me?"

"The vampires aren't in Phoenix, not even in Arizona. They're in Forks, Washington."

"I have to go to another state?" I practically yelled. "Can't they get a slayer from Washington or maybe Oregon? I strictly work in Arizona. Headquarters knows that."

"No, they can't get another slayer."

"And why's that?"

"Because they're all too old," Tristan said. I raised an eyebrow. "The vampires are masquerading themselves as high school students and you're the only slayer in this part of the country that's young enough to go to high school."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I barked. "I don't do school and people. I thought Headquarters figured that out when they tried to put me in that setting when I was training."

"I think they got the message when you hospitalized every girl on your floor," Tristan said.

"So why would they force me into a situation that causes me to be violent?"

"Almost everything makes you violent," Tristan chuckled, earning himself a hot glare. "Answer me this, Bella," Tristan said when his laughter had died away. "Would you ever hit a human just because you were uncomfortable?"

"No," I told him through gritted teeth.

"Exactly. So Headquarters assumes that you'll be perfectly fine in a normal high school setting."

"I won't know how to act," I said, my mind trying to fish for good excuses. I came up short. "I've been homeschooled my entire life."

"Do you honestly think Headquarters cares?" Tristan asked.

"I don't want to go to fucking Washington," I pouted, shoving the bowl in front of me away from me forcefully. It slid down the table and tipped threateningly to one side, but didn't topple over.

"So you're not going to do the mission?"

"No, I'll do the stupid ass mission," I growled. "Mother fucking bastards," I added under my breath.

"We have to be in Forks by Tuesday of next week," Tristan said.

"Shit! Tuesday," I muttered darkly and rose from my seat. "I have to tell my mom. Where is she?"

"Outside somewhere," Tristan said, lowering his gaze back to his computer; probably telling Headquarters that I was psyched for the job.

I stomped toward the back door that was in the kitchen, flung it open, and made my way outside. The backyard was spacious and humble. My mother didn't like flashy things and the garden that she's had ever since I can remember was pretty but not obnoxious like some of our neighbors.

The garden was where I found my mother. She was hunched over her early-blooming things (I wasn't very good with plants. That was one of Tristan's fields of expertise) and was humming what sounded like a country song to her plants. She always believed that talking or singing to her garden made it grow and look better. I wasn't sure if she was right, but her garden was nice and full every year, so she was doing something right.

I cleared my throat loudly to get my mother's attention and she turned around. Her lovely features turned up in a smile and her brown eyes lit up with adoration as she gazed at me. She loved me fiercely and I her. And she was so proud that I was a slayer, even if the reasons why I had become one made her weep when she thought of them, and she was always terrified that one night I wouldn't come home.

"Aren't you up early?" she called to me, straightening up. "Tristan told me that you wouldn't wake until noon at the earliest."

"Well he was wrong," I said, walking over to her.

"You don't look happy," my mother commented, frowning slightly. "What's wrong?"

"I have a new mission," I told her bitterly.

"So soon? Why?"

"It's not one of the typical missions I've been getting," I said. "I have to observe a coven of vampires."

"Is there a coven bond?" my mother asked, looking worried.

"Probably."

"Oh dear," my mother said. "Are you doing this by yourself?"

"With whatever help Tristan will offer," I said.

"This is wrong," my mother muttered. "Laura should know better than to send in a young slayer to deal with vampires, especially when there might be a bond. I need to go talk to her."

"Mom, please don't," I said, thinking of how horribly embarrassed I'd be if my mother picked up the phone and began lecturing my boss.

"Bella, you can't do this by yourself," my mother told me sternly.

"You're too late," I said. "I've already accepted. Tristan already told Headquarters."

"Then take it back. You're too young."

"Mom, if I don't do this then I'll never run my own team," I said, looking at my mother meaningfully. "And you know how that's been my biggest goal for the past three years."

"This is a steep price to pay for that goal," my mother grumbled.

"I know but I'm willing," I said, a note of pleading in my voice. "I have to do this."

"I don't like this. I don't like this at all," my mother mumbled, shaking her head. I continued to give her the 'look' and after a minute she caved. "Well once you're done I'm going to have a long chit-chat with that woman," my mother finally huffed, forcefully wiping dirt from her jeans.

"Fine," I sighed, knowing my mother would do as she vowed. She was a woman of her word.

"So when does this mission start?" my mother asked, picking up her gardening tools.

"Tuesday."

"That's a little late. Why not have it start tomorrow, or at least on Sunday?"

"Mom, we have to move," I said, angry and upset. I didn't want to leave my home, especially since I had only gotten home from my training a little less than a year ago. I loved Phoenix. It was part of who I was. It was me and I was it, but in the slaying world it was unwise to get attached to something. You might have to leave it or it could be ripped away from you.

"Why?" my mother asked.

"Because I'm perfect for the situation and they have no one else to do this mission, apparently."

"Where do we have to move to?"

"Some little rinky-dink town by the name of Forks," I bit out.

"Oh dear," my mother said, standing up. "That doesn't give them much time to find us a house, car, and wire us money. What about packing? What about Danni? It's really not fair to uproot her from her home. This is going to devastate her."

"I know, Mom." I gave a frustrated sigh. "She's probably going to feel ten times worse than I do. Laura's a fucking bitch, but whatever. Why don't I break the news to Danni and you can talk to Tristan about the whole setup?"

"You sure?" my mother asked. I nodded. "All right, sweetie. I would really appreciate it. Oh, and please try not to cuss when you tell Danni. I don't want her to pick up on it."

"Mom," I muttered, vaguely smiling and rolling my eyes. My mother laughed a little before starting for the house. I followed her inside. When we reached the kitchen she walked over to where Tristan was still sitting and started to talk to him. I gazed at them for a moment before going to the stairs. I went up them, not as slowly as earlier (I hardly noticed the pain now), and turned at the top. There I began heading for my sister's room, which was at the end of the hallway. I knocked on her closed door a couple of times and entered when I heard her little voice call out to me.

I found my four-going-on-five-year-old sister sitting at the end of her bed with two Barbie dolls. Danni's sweet little face beamed up at me as she finished dressing one of her dolls in a hideous satiny pick dress.

"Hi, Bella," Danni said warmly. "Wanna play? You can have Barbie's twin sister Sammy."

"No, that's okay," I said, folding myself down next to her on her bed. Danni leaned back against me and I absentmindedly started to stroke her soft, brown curls. Focusing on her hair helped me to calm down a smidge so that I wouldn't say the wrong thing. I didn't want her swearing any more than my mother did.

"You didn't read to me last night," Danni said, wagging the Barbie she had dubbed Sammy around; making swooshing noises as if she was flying.

"I know, and I'm so sorry, but I had to go out last night," I told her, feeling a pang of guilt deep in my stomach. I tried to read to her every night. It was our alone time together, and I hated to miss it even more than my sister did.

"Your job?" Danni asked, tipping her head back so that she could stare at me with eyes that were almost identical to mine.

"Yeah, my job," I sighed.

"Why don't you quit? You don't seem to like it."

"I love my job," I disagreed.

"But you always look so sad," Danni said, her voice holding a sympathy that four-year-olds shouldn't know. "You need to quit."

"I can't," I snapped, closing off the subject quickly. I didn't want to discuss too much with Danni what it was that I did. In fact, I never wanted her to find out about slayers and the dark side of life that no one other than monsters, slayers, and a few normal humans were aware of. It wasn't the type of life that should be an option for her. I wouldn't let it be. "But how about I read that book to you tonight?" I suggested, making my voice gentler.

"What about your job?"

"I'm free tonight."

"Yay!" Danni cried happily, dropping her Barbie dolls and crawling into my lap. I hugged her close, marveling at how big she was getting. It seemed like only yesterday I was holding her in the hospital, right after she'd been born. "I love you, Bella," she whispered, before kissing me on the cheek.

"I love you, too," I replied, squeezing her.

We sat together for what felt like forever and I didn't mind. If I had to choose between spending every day with Danni and slaying, I would choose her in less time than it takes a heart to beat. She was my entire world. In more than one way I was a slayer because of her. And I didn't mind. I would give my last breath if it meant Danni would be safe from the true horrors of the world.

"I need to ask you something," I murmured, hating to break the comfortable silence, but needing to.

"What?"

"How would you feel about moving?"

"I like it here," Danni said, letting go of me and staring at me with wide eyes. Some part of her knew why I had asked that question.

"But what if you had to?"

"Why?" she asked. "We're moving aren't we? And it's because of your stupid job."

"It'll be only for a little while, I promise," I said as I tried to wrap her in my arms to calm her down, but Danni hopped from her bed and ran over to the other side of her room, as far from me as she could get in the small space.

Her rejection was a knife in my side.

"I don't want to leave. This is my home," she cried, stomping her foot.

"Danni, please just—"

"I hate your job!" she screamed.

"Danni, it won't be forever," I said, feeling like the worst person on the planet. It wasn't right of me to ask her to leave everything that she loved. But I had no choice. I couldn't pass myself off in Forks as a high school student if I had no parent, and Danni couldn't stay in Phoenix by herself. It was unthinkable.

"I don't care. I hate your job," she repeated just before giant tears fell down her bright pink cheeks.

"I'm sorry, honey, but we have no choice—"

"There are always choices," Danni yelled, cutting me off once more.

"What's going on?" my mother's anxious voice asked as she jogged into the room.

"Mommy, don't make me go," Danni sobbed, running to my mother. She wrapped her arms around her legs and clung to her. "Please, Mommy, don't."

"Why don't we talk about this after breakfast?" my mother suggested in a sweet, soothing voice. "I'll make waffles and you can put some sprinkles on them, okay?"

"Okay," Danni whispered and held her arms up toward my mother. My mother bent over and lifted Danni up easily. She put her on her hip and Danni burrowed her head against my mother's shoulder, sniffling loudly.

"It's all set," my mother mouthed to me before leaving Danni's room.

"Alright," I muttered sadly. Danni being mad at me was one of the worst things in the world. My leg severed would be more fun than having my sister scream and cry because I was upsetting her.

I sat for a few seconds before getting up to head back to my room so that I could pack. I wasn't going to go downstairs. If I did that would only make matters worse. In a few days Danni would be better and then I could apologize, but until then I was going to be deeply depressed. I always was whenever something like this happened.


	2. Reprimanded

**Author: Me, Delcesca Newby**

**Rating: T for very strong language and later themes and possible nudity (I haven't made up my mind yet)**

**Author's Note: I was going to put this up on Sunday, but I thought I'd be nice and give it to you guys today since I'll be too exhausted on Sunday from the heavy partying I have planned. Just think of this as a little New Year's Eve present. Lol. Yeah, okay, I'm done being lame. **

**So thank all of you that have read, liked, and reviewed this story so far. It means a lot to me, and I hope you guys keep showing me some love. All right. Next chapter. Enjoy!**

**I don't own Twilight.

* * *

**

The sharpened blade sang as I sliced it through the air and tried to bring it down against the side of Tristan's head. He blocked it easily with his solid oak staff, and faster than I could blink he smacked me in the shin with the long piece of wood, hard.

"Ouch!" I yelled, jumping back; almost slipping on the wet grass.

"Pay better attention," Tristan commented, twirling the staff over his head in a graceful arch.

"I'm trying," I barked, though that was a lie. My mind was elsewhere and it was showing.

"Should we not do this today?" Tristan asked, a smile tugging at the corner of his full lips. "I wouldn't want to seriously hurt you before school."

"Fuck you," I hissed, throwing down my sword and bolting towards Tristan. My sudden movement caught Tristan off guard, allowing me to tackle him to the ground; the staff rolling out of his hands. "What now, fairy boy?" I cried triumphantly.

"Ugh, you're fat," Tristan huffed, attempting to push me off him, but I pressed my knees into his hips and pinned his arms down with my elbows.

"Asshole," I growled.

"You can't keep me down forever, Bella," Tristan said, wiggling a little, but getting nowhere. I might not have been as agile as him, but I was much stronger.

"Says you," I replied, lying flat against him. To anyone that might look out their windows into my front yard it would appear that Tristan and I were having a serious make-out session in the grass, not that that was a concern of mine. Let the neighbors think whatever they wanted because the truth was I was torturing Tristan by being this close to him. Fairies despised humans and most of them feared getting close enough to one to the point that they might touch each other.

"Damn it," Tristan huffed, glaring at me. I laughed loudly, the sound carrying through the early morning quiet.

"I love you so much," I said, giving his cheek a big, sloppy kiss.

"Bella!" Tristan yelled, thrashing wildly. I cackled louder and jumped off of him. Tristan was on his feet in a flash, his head snapping around in search of his staff. I noticed this and picked it up before he had the chance.

"Oh, poor little fairy," I mocked, making Tristan's pale face flare red with anger. He advanced toward me, his arms outstretched; no doubt wanting to strangle me with his large, delicate hands. I didn't move and allowed him to come within four feet of me before I lifted the staff to bring it against his chest.

"Oomph," Tristan heaved, backing away from me.

"Only one kiss a day," I said, bouncing on the balls of my feet. "If you want another, it's gonna cost you a little something."

"Bella, this is not training!" Tristan roared.

"I'm sweating," I said.

"This is ridiculous," Tristan snapped, throwing his hands up in defeat. "I'm through with you. Training is done for today."

"You're a spoiled sport," I pouted.

"How can you joke like this?" Tristan asked. "Training is critical for you, especially now. You can't be lazy and stupid with a coven of vampires in town."

"I was just having some fun, you bastard," I growled, coming down off of my teasing high with a hard crash. "And then you go and ruin it with that bad news."

"You have to keep focused on what's important," Tristan lectured. "Never lose sight of the big picture."

"Yeah, whatever," I said, throwing his staff to the ground.

"Don't be a baby," Tristan hissed, bending down to pick it up.

"Screw you," I said as I marched across the yard to the front door of the small, modest house that Headquarters had gotten me and my family. In the daylight it was a faded olive green color with black trim and actual shutters. A tiny garage was attached to the side, along with a shed in the back. It was alright for a house in the middle of a wet, green hell. I didn't like it, but I could live here for however long this damn mission was going to last.

I opened the door and walked inside; heading for the kitchen where I knew my mother would be sitting at the table, reading the newspaper and working on her second cup of coffee.

She didn't look up as I plopped down beside her.

"What happened?" my mother asked.

"He pissed me off," I said.

"When doesn't he, Bella?" my mother said with a roll of her eyes.

"He was being a prick," I insisted.

"And you were a perfect angel?" My mother briefly laughed. "You're not five anymore, Bella. There's not one good guy and one bad in a conversation, especially when it comes to the two of you."

"I never said I was innocent," I mumbled. "I take full credit for getting under his skin and making every day of his life a living hell."

"Tristan deserves more than what you give him," my mother said, lifting her gaze to mine. Her face had lost all its warmth from her laughter and was gravely serious. "Your life depends greatly on his."

"No, it doesn't," I argued.

"That's a lie, and we both know it," my mother almost snapped. "You need to grow up and get past your pathetic idea that fairies are below slayers. We would be nothing without them. I would not be here today if it hadn't of been for Gabrielle."

Gabrielle had been my mother's fairy. According to my mother—when she was willing to talk about the past—the two of them had been best friends. My mother had been as antisocial as I was and Gabrielle had been an outcast due to a relationship she had had with a human while at Headquarters (she'd lost her virginity to a male slayer), making them both incredibly lonely. During their years together they had become like sisters, and they had had a promising career as one of the best duos Headquarters had seen in a long time. But that was tragically cut short when they'd been on a mission to take down Marchet, the queen of the mermaids in Erie, New York (that's where my mom was born and grew up).

They had not expected the ambush that awaited them in the mermaids' nest and were captured. It was only Gabrielle's distraction—which led to her gruesome death—that gave my mother enough time to flee the lake, mostly unharmed. She quit the next day and moved to Phoenix, breaking all contact with Headquarters until I had demanded at twelve to follow in her footsteps (my mother had told me everything of her life before me, though I know she had hoped that I wouldn't take up being a slayer).

"I didn't mean—I wasn't trying to put her down," I murmured, dropping my gaze to the table.

"That's not what I was getting at, and you know it," my mother said.

I didn't comment and focused on counting all the little dents in the wood.

"Do you want to lead your own team?" my mother asked, her voice still hard and disappointed.

"Yes," I said.

"Then act your age, honor your job as a slayer, and appreciate Tristan for all that he offers," my mother sniped, folding her newspaper in half and dropping it on the table.

"Riveting speech, Renee," Tristan's voice came from the doorway. "I agree wholeheartedly."

"You're not innocent in this," my mother chastised. "You're as bad as Bella."

"Ma'am, I only take out my frustrations on that thing you call a daughter when she deserves it," Tristan said, his eyes narrowed into a glare that slightly shocked me. He never usually had an attitude with my mother. I must have really gotten to him outside.

My mother's eyebrows raised in amused surprise. "Ma'am, huh?" she asked. "Who are you trying to impress? I see the two of you, you can't lie to me. You both are two-year-olds; Danni behaves better."

"Low blow, Mom," I said, my sarcasm hardly restrained.

"If you can't take the criticisms then don't do anything to cause me to say it."

"I think your mom's right, Bella," Tristan said, his face losing all its anger. He looked the prime example of someone being crushed under his own guilt. It could all be true, or completely fake. I could never tell with him.

"You got a little something brown on your nose there," I said, swiping at the tip of mine.

"You're funny," Tristan said dryly.

"Why do I even bother?" my mother muttered to herself as she got up from her seat.

"Hey, what's for breakfast?" I asked sweetly, acting as the ultimate bitch.

"Whatever you feel like making for yourself," my mother answered sharply, putting her coffee cup in the sink. Without another word she left the kitchen.

"I can't believe what an asshole you are," Tristan said.

"Yes, you can just like I know how big of douche bag you are."

Tristan rolled his eyes. "What do you want?" he asked, walking into the small kitchen.

"You're making me food?" I couldn't believe it.

Tristan shrugged. "Just a convenient way to kill you," he said.

"Two eggs, sunny side, and three pieces of toast," I commanded.

Tristan grunted and began to gather together all the supplies he would need.

"So what's with the food?" I asked after the silence had stretched between us for a couple of minutes. "What are you trying to prove?"

"Nothing," Tristan said, cracking the eggs into a skillet.

"So?" I pressed.

"You need to eat something for today," Tristan told me.

"Like school's going to take up a lot of energy," I scoffed.

"No, it's to keep you from acting like such a giant bitch," Tristan explained.

"So I can make friends?" I asked, forcing sickly sugary enthusiasm. "Oh, I can't wait!"

Tristan shook his head. "Poor humans," he mumbled under his breath.

"Poor me," I countered.

Another silence settled between us.

Tristan put some bread in the toaster for me and watched my eggs diligently. I stared at him, but didn't really see him. I was zoning, my mind not thinking about anything in particular, but I knew somewhere I was mulling over the mean things I'd said to my mother. Doing so made me feel bad. She didn't deserve what I'd done, and had been right, again. I was going to have to apologize to her before I went off for my first day of school.

The toaster dinged and Tristan put butter on the slices of toast that popped out. He put them on a large plate, along with my done eggs.

"Enjoy," he muttered, setting the plate before me.

"Fork?"

Tristan sighed and got me one.

I cut into one of the eggs and gobbled it down, surprised at how hungry I was.

"I don't taste poison," I commented, the closest thing I'd get to giving Tristan a compliment.

"Damn. I didn't use enough," Tristan said, whisking his own breakfast in a bowl.

"How much information have you found on the vampires?" I asked, deciding that it was about time I learned more about my mission (I'd avoided talking about it ever since I agreed to take it on).

"Not a lot," Tristan said as he poured the scrambled eggs into the skillet. "And that worries me."

"Wouldn't Headquarters have a shitload of stuff on them?" I mused. "They always keep tabs on large group of vampires."

"Obviously someone hasn't been doing their job," Tristan growled.

"Or maybe they've been paid not to," I suggested, throwing out the possibility just to get Tristan riled up.

"That wouldn't surprise me," Tristan said, his face taking on the amusing look of anger he got whenever he was thinking of any kind of conspiracy that was taking place at Headquarters. He was a raving nut when it came to them, and I found it funny. Not because I thought he was wrong—hell, I would be stupid to think that Headquarters wasn't doing horrible, illegal things (all big organizations did). I just liked to see Tristan flustered. It was a cheap form of entertainment.

"Do you know that Harold told me last week?" Tristan asked, looking ready to start a huge monologue that would bore the hell out of me.

"No, and I honestly don't care," I said to dose his fire while I polished off the last of my eggs and moved on to my toast.

"I—He…" Tristan trailed off, visibly deflating before my eyes. "But it's good," he almost begged.

"I. Don't. Fucking. Care," I said.

Tristan's shoulders slumped forward in defeat, and I smiled to myself.

"What info do you have?" I asked after giving him enough time to swim in his disappointment.

"Well they're the veg. type," Tristan told me, lacking his usual fervor at spewing memorized facts.

"Aren't they little saints," I said, rolling my eyes. The vegetarian vampires, those that refused to drink human blood, were a joke. Did they honestly think that eating animals instead of humans made them better? They were still monsters, monsters that craved blood. They were as bad as the other vampires out there, maybe even worse because they were depriving themselves of their true food source, intensifying their thirst. One day it would boil over and they would go on a human killing spree.

"What else do you have?" I asked.

"They're apparently pretty popular at the school," Tristan said.

"Of course. They're gorgeous and good at everything they do. Why wouldn't they be popular?"

"You sound a little jealous," Tristan commented, his lips turning up in a smirk.

"And why would I be jealous?"

"I don't know." Tristan shrugged.

"They're abominations that I can't wait to chop to shreds," I said.

"I never said that you'd be allowed to kill them," Tristan said.

"What?" I almost yelled. "That's one of the two reasons I agreed to this."

"You assumed that Headquarters would have you kill them," Tristan said, his joy at pissing me off obvious in his voice as he put his breakfast on a plate.

"Why wouldn't I kill them?"

"Maybe they don't think you can handle them," Tristan speculated as he ate. "There are seven of them total."

"I can do it," I declared, though the number made my eyes widen. Seven vampires together for five years? How could Headquarters let this go on for so long without doing anything? What the fuck? Was Laura mentally retarded?

"I doubt it," Tristan said, earning himself a sharp glare, which he ignored. "But Headquarters might think you can, though you'll have to prove it to them."

"That's stupid," I snapped.

"A leader has to do and know more than how to kill monsters," Tristan said. "This mission is the perfect opportunity to prove that you are a leader."

"I—I…will end up killing them," I said lamely, getting up in the process. "With or without Headquarters' permission."

Tristan nodded. "I know."

"Yeah," I agreed, not sure what else to say.

Tristan looked at me as he gobbled up his eggs, waiting for something else to come out of my mouth.

"I need to go get changed," I finally said, feeling awkward and flustered. "School starts soon."

"Shower first," Tristan said as I walked out of the kitchen. "You smell horrible."

"Shut up, bastard," I yelled, and he laughed.

I walked down the hall and turned up the stairs. I flew up them, anxious about what the day would bring. I wasn't a people person and authority never seemed to like my snide comments. How in the world was I going to be able to keep my mouth shut? And what about the vampires? Could I honestly go to school with them, sit next to them, and talk to them without picking up the nearest sharp object and try to stab them in the neck? How would I be able to befriend them when it would be clearly obvious by my facial expression or tone of voice that I hated them? How the hell was I going to do this?

"Damn you, Laura," I cursed as I reached the top of the stairs.

"Are you nervous?" my mother asked from where she stood hanging a picture on the wall.

"No," I lied quickly.

"Bella, you can be open with me," my mother sighed, turning around. She put the picture down and walked toward me. "I won't think less of you."

"I know you won't," I said.

"It doesn't make you weak to have emotions; to cry."

"I can't cry," I almost whispered.

"You have to let go," my mother murmured as she put her hand on my shoulder. It was the only comforting thing she knew she could do without making me recoil.

"That was the last time I cried," I said, staring off; trying to force dark memories to stay hidden. "That night I buried the little girl with every tear that fell down my face, and when I was done I was what I am now. Crying will bring her back. I can't do that, Mom."

"It's been almost five years," my mother said. "It isn't healthy to keep it bottled up for so long."

"I'm fine," I said, straightening my back. I gave my mother a smile that I knew was more of a grimace. "School will be no problem. I'll get through it like I have everything else."

"Oh, Bella," my mother said, tears that should be mine glistening in her eyes. She wiped at them with the back of her hand.

"I'm sorry about what happened earlier," I said, refusing to acknowledge the pain I was putting her through by remaining closed. "You were right. I was just being a stupid bitch. Nerves, you know?"

"Just think before you talk next time," my mother reprimanded gently. "And be nice to Tristan," she added.

"When Hell freezes over," I promised.

My mother smiled. It was small, but it was there.

"Go get ready," she said, nudging me toward my room.

"Make sure Tristan moves his ass and is ready by the time I'm done," I said.

"I will," my mother said as I walked away. "Bella?" she called suddenly, sounding unsure.

I stopped and turned around. "What?"

"I love you so much, baby girl," she told me.

"I love you, too," I said, her words tugging at my walled off heart. It wasn't enough to cause any break in the dam around my feelings, but some fleeting emotion must have crossed my face because my mother nodded with sad sympathy before returning to hanging the picture.

I watched her for a moment before starting for my room to prepare for whatever the day would bring.


	3. High School

**Author: Me, Delcesca Newby**

**Rating: T for strong language and anything else that may too mature for the small kiddies **

**Author's Note: So another chapter already. I would love to thank XeligoldsworthycullenX for the most enthusiastic reviews, but the others of you I adore, too. All of you are amazing, and the feedback is very encouraging. Once again, thank you! So I hope you all like this new chapter. Bella finally goes to school! **

**Let's see how well that goes...

* * *

**

"Hi," a guy with a face that was still oddly boyish, pale blond hair gelled into ridiculous spikes, and a goofy grin on his open features said as he took the seat next to me in English. He was leaning in toward me, and I had to fight the urge to shove him away or shift my chair over as he introduced himself. "I'm Mike Newton."

"Isabella Swan," I told him as nicely as I could through clenched teeth.

"Isabella?" Mike mused. "That's so formal. Do you have a nickname?"

"Bella."

"Okay, Bella." Mike laughed a little as if what I had said was supposed to be funny. I raised an eyebrow. What the fuck? "Can I be your personal guide for the day? Forks High can get a little confusing."

"Um, I would rather not have a—"

_Bella, be nice to the brave boy_,Tristan's voice fluttered through my mind suddenly; forcing me to stop talking.

_What have I told you?_ _Get out of my head_, I snapped.

_Make friends_, Tristan ordered.

_With him? I'd rather be torn to shreds by zombies. _

_I know it's hard to keep the bitch at bay, but just do it_, Tristan said. _It's important to the mission, remember that._

_I don't have to be chummy with everyone!_

_Bella…_Tristan trailed off.

"Yes, Bella?" Mike asked, looking concerned.

I sighed and tried to smile. I know I ended up looking like Wednesday from _Addams' Family Values _when she was trying to be 'normal' at that preppy summer camp.

"I think that would be—"

"What she really wants is a man to show her around," a gangly guy with severe skin problems and inky black hair said from across the room, cutting me off.

"Like that's you, Eric," Mike called back to him.

"Want me to prove it?" Eric challenged, rising up from his seat.

_Fucking morons!_ I thought with a roll of my eyes. Tristan's familiar chuckle ran through my head, but that was it.

"Shut up, the both of you," a girl that was inches shorter than me with dark curly hair that seemed to have a life of its own said as she moved down the aisle to where I sat in the back. She nudged Mike out of the chair and took his spot. He stumbled to his feet and glared at the girl dangerously. She completely ignored him.

"Jessica Stanly," she said as an introduction, her lips curved into a smirk that Mike growled at. "Sorry about that, Bella. Mike and Eric are the token idiots of the school."

"Obviously," I grumbled, and Jessica laughed.

"Hey!" Eric cried.

"What?" Jessica shrugged, throwing him an innocent look. "It's the truth. Even an outsider can see it."

"Well if I'm such an idiot then why did you suck my cock the other night?"

"I needed the thirty bucks," Jessica said smoothly to Mike, whose mouth dropped open as he gawked in surprise at Jessica.

A few people around us laughed.

"No, I didn't pay her to—"

Mike started to explain as he recovered, but just then a tall man that was mostly bald walked into the room. Everyone snapped to attention and Mike scrambled to a seat up near Eric.

"Hello, everyone," the man announced loudly, and he set a bag on the floor beside his desk.

"What's up, Mr. Mason?" a guy with flaming red hair asked.

"Not much, Nick. Thank you," Mr. Mason said. "What about you?"

"We have a new girl," someone told him eagerly.

"Oh, is that so? Well where is she?"

"Raise your hand, Bella," Jessica whispered loudly to me.

"Right here," I called—refusing to raise my hand—which caused the entire class to shift around so that they could all stare at me. I felt color rise to my cheeks at their unwavering attention. I didn't like this; it made me uncomfortable. What were they thinking? Why didn't any of them blink?

_Why are you freaking out?_ a voice that I hadn't heard in awhile (one of my own creation) asked.

_I'm not_, I replied as I fidgeted in my seat and refused to meet anyone's eyes.

_You can't lie to me, Bella_, the voice sneered. _They all are terrifying you. You want to run out of room and cower in the hills away from the scary humans. Is that what a slayer does? _The voice made a rude noise._ You're pathetic. _

_No, I'm not_, I murmured, trying to ignore the feelings that the voice was stirring up, but I kept falling short. The voice was my doubt and it fed on my fears and insecurities, and it knew every single one; giving it a power over me that was unnerving.

_These humans are nothing_, the voice said. _You are so much stronger, smarter, faster—more—than them. Well you would be if you were a true slayer. _

_I am!_

_Then grow a backbone_, the voice snapped. _Stop being that scared little girl in the alleyway that_—

_Stop! _I cried desperately.

The voice cackled cruelly and faded away.

"What's your name, young lady?" Mr. Mason asked nicely, but I could hear the slight loss of patience behind his words, and knew he'd asked me the question at least once during my internal shouting match.

"Bella Swan, sir," I replied, hating that people either smiled or chuckled.

"Who says sir?" a girl scoffed toward the front of the class.

"Obviously someone who has respect, Miss Mallory," Mr. Mason almost snapped at the girl. She ducked her head as some people directed their laugher at her. "The 'sir' is flattering, Miss Swan, but I would prefer something that wasn't so old sounding. Do you mind? I may have no hair, but I'm still spry."

"No?" It wasn't supposed to be a question, but I couldn't stop it from coming out that way. I didn't feel good and just wanted to leave. _Run_, the voice's word echoed in my mind, and I got mad. That's what I would have done years ago, but I wasn't the same person as I was then. I was a fucking slayer, god damn it! I'd battled and destroyed things that would make most people's hearts stop with fright if they ever saw them, but I hardly batted an eyelash. I was tough; not the weakling from six years ago. I was Bella Swan, an unwavering force of strength and stubbornness, and I wasn't going to let this school and its people turn me into a sniveling coward.

"Good," Mr. Mason smiled warmly. "Is there anything you would like to tell us about yourself before we move onto class?" he asked.

"Not really," I said; my voice much louder and back with its usual infliction of annoyance and sarcasm.

"Well at least tell us where you're from," Mr. Mason urged; his eyes the only thing betraying his surprise at my sudden change in tone.

"Phoenix," I replied lazily.

"Like in Arizona?" Jessica asked.

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Oh my God! That's so amazing," another girl in the room squealed.

"It's my home," I said, my words warm as I thought of the best place in the world.

"So Forks is a big change for you?" Mr. Mason asked.

"You have no idea," I responded somewhat darkly, not meaning to, but it had come out that way and I was uncaring as to how angry I sounded.

A sudden silence fell on the room as I waited for the teacher to ask something else or one of the students to open their mouths and spew something, and they expected more from me.

Mr. Mason coughed and clapped his hands, making some people jump. "Well, class," he said, getting all our attentions. "I think we should continue on with _Macbeth_. Sahara and Oliver, would you mind getting books from the back for everyone?"

The two singled out groaned loudly, but stood up anyways and did as they were asked.

Mr. Mason read to the class, doing a fairly good job at expressing the grief and horror Macbeth felt as his friend's ghost haunted him at dinner. He had me intrigued even though I'd already read the play before (my mother was very big on the classics and forced them on me whether I liked them or not). He continued up until the last minute of class, and we all scrambled to get our things when the bell rang.

I was ushered out by Jessica to my next class, where the teacher asked me a few question. I answered in a way that made it clear that I'd prefer if she kept her curiosity locked in a box, and the students around me gawked a little. I was quickly gaining a reputation, I could see it in their eyes, and it wasn't a good one. But I couldn't help it. This was who I was, and I wasn't going to act some other way to gain friends. The people here would either like me for who I was or I'd be without companions, screw what Tristan said.

I followed Jessica into the cafeteria and got the same lunch as her: gross chicken tenders, pale green beans, a lopsided cookie, and a carton of chocolate milk. I decided that the milk was going to be the only thing I touched as Jessica led me to a full table. It was stupid for me not eat, I needed my strength in case something happened, but I couldn't bring myself to stomach the slop that the school was attempting to pass off as food.

Jessica and I sat down, and I was introduced to those already there. I nodded at them as they all said hello, but didn't attempt to engage in any conversation. What would I say? Hi, I kill monsters for a living and am really here because I need to practically babysit a coven of vampires. Where would that get me?

"What was your old school like?" Jessica asked into the too long silence that had fallen on us after the introductions.

"I didn't go to school," I told her while slowly sucking on my straw. I didn't look at anyone as I spoke. I was gazing around the cafeteria, searching out the vampires that I'd yet to see, but I knew that some people's mouth dropped open.

"So what did you do?" someone asked.

"How aren't you stupid?" another person else called.

"Just don't speak, Tyler," Jessica said, shaking her head while rubbing her temples with her index fingers.

"I still learned things," I said, rolling my eyes.

"But how?" Mike asked.

"Home school," I sighed, refusing to say the things racing through my mind at their brainlessness.

"Cool," Mike said.

"God that sucks," someone commented.

I opened my mouth to send a nasty retort, but I caught movement out of the corner of my eye by the cafeteria doors. I completely forgot about everyone at the table as I watched the five vampires enter the room. They walked over to the opposite side from where I was sitting and claimed a table as their own. Out of instinct I grabbed the nearest sharp object possible, which turned out to be a plastic fork, and started to get up from my seat.

Suddenly a hand clamped down on my shoulder, making me jump.

"What the hell?" I hissed, turning. Standing beside me was a smiling Tristan.

"Hey, cousin," he said brightly while applying pressure with his hand to make me drop the fork and sit completely.

"You're cousins?" Mike asked.

"I'm the better looking one, so I know it's hard to tell," Tristan said, getting a few laughs. "Do you mind if I sit?" he asked the table as a whole. They all shook their heads, charmed by his heartbreakingly good looks and easy demeanor. "Thanks," he smiled, taking the chair next to me.

"How've you liked Forks so far?" Jessica asked, drinking Tristan in as if he was a tall glass of water and she was dying from dehydration.

"I love it," Tristan gushed. "Don't you, Bella?"

"Yeah, it's great," I grumbled, not really paying attention. I was observing the vampires closely, memorizing the way each of them looked.

The males I sized up first. One had huge muscles and curly, dark hair. He would be fun to wrestle around with, a good test of my strength. Another was leaner than the huge one, but still looked lethal. He had honey colored hair and a leader-like air about him that was unexpected. I briefly wondered what life he'd led before joining with his current coven, but the thought died quickly. And the third male was more boyish in appearance than the other two. He had coppery hair and didn't look like he was much of a fighter, but looks were deceiving. No matter how a vampire appeared on the outside it was one of the stronger monsters in the world. They were a giant pain in the ass to fight and kill, but I loved the challenge they presented.

The females were polar opposites. One was tall, blonde, and very curvy, a perfect ten in almost anyone's eyes; more than likely the reason for a lot of wet dreams. The other was short—a lot shorter than me actually—with a slight frame and choppy black hair that accented her pixie-like face.

They were all wonderful in exterior, even with the pale skin and unnaturally dark eyes that hinted at their true nature. But all vampires had that kind of beauty. It was what drew humans, their prey, to them like bugs to a bug zapper. They were haunting and almost forbidden-looking, making humans unable to resist their allure.

"Could you, Bella?" Tristan asked, pulling my mind back to the table.

"What?" I asked.

"Forgive her, she's a little slow," Tristan announced, and Jessica broke out into an obnoxious fit of giggles.

"No, I've seen that look," Mike said, peering at me intently.

"What look?" I tried to not meet his eye, unnerved by what Mike might think he saw cross my face.

"It always happens," Mike said, nodding curtly.

"What?" I demanded, a little more harshly than was necessary. Tristan kicked my foot under the table.

_Stop it_, he growled.

I pinched his thigh in response.

"The rare new people always get transfixed by _them_," Mike sneered, glaring in the vampires' direction.

"Who are they?" Tristan asked innocently.

"Those three are Edward, Emmett, and Alice Cullen, and the other two are Jasper and Rosalie Hale. They all live with Dr. Cullen and his wife," a girl that I thought may be from my Spanish class told him shyly as she pointed each of the vampires out. The moment she spoke their names, the boyish looking vampire snapped his head around to stare at our table. His eyes raked over each individual and then stopped when he caught mine.

_He's trying to read our minds_, Tristan told me.

_Are your spells holding?_ I asked.

_I love your faith in me_, Tristan snapped. _Of course they're holding. It's going to take more than the likes of him to break through._

_Good_, I said as something like anger crossed the vampire's face as he realized we were closed off to him. He turned back to his coven mates and started to speak to them rapidly.

"Aren't they gorgeous," Tristan said, sounding star stuck and a tad bit gay.

"That's an understatement," Jessica said, giving the vampires a once over with an open, hungry look. "They are gods gracing us all with their presence."

"Gag me," Mike said with a roll of his eyes.

"Yeah," Eric agreed, though he was staring at the blonde female with raw lust.

I felt my stomach lurch at the pathetic way he and Jessica were acting. I knew it wasn't their fault, but it was still sickening to witness.

"Have they always been here?" Tristan asked.

"No, they've only been here for about two years," the girl from my Spanish class told him.

"And if you're interested in Emmett don't even bother," Jessica suggested with some slight cattiness. "He's dating Rosalie, the blonde one."

"But don't they live together." Tristan's words held the perfect combination of disgust and curiosity.

"Yeah, it's odd, I know." Jessica nodded. "But they aren't related. Well Rosalie and Jasper are twins, and are actually the niece and nephew of Dr. Cullen's wife, but all the others are foster kids that they took in years ago and eventually adopted."

"That's nice of them to do that," Tristan said, and I vaguely nodded.

"Well rumor is that Dr. Cullen's wife can't have kids," Mike said in a way that told me that he hoped his words would make me (or maybe Tristan if he swung that way) less interested in the vampires.

"So? A lot of woman can't," Jessica hissed, wildly glaring at him. "You shouldn't judge someone based on how well their uterus is functioning."

"Is yours functioning like it should?" Eric asked, laughing.

"Shut up!" Jessica yelled, throwing her milk carton across the table at him. It smacked him in the shoulder and milk dribbled down the front of his short.

"Gross," Eric squealed, jumping from his seat. "You're a bitch, you know that?"

"Wouldn't dream of being anything else," Jessica told him while batting her eyes.

"Damn it," Eric muttered as he marched away from us and out of the cafeteria.

"How mature, Jess," Mike said, following after Eric.

"Butt bodies," someone at the table called after Mike.

Almost everyone at the table laughed. I just breathed in and out slowly, willing myself to keep quiet and calm. They weren't stupid by choice. They'd just been raised that way. They couldn't help acting this way. They couldn't.

Tristan went on to ask some more questions about the vampires, but I blocked him out as I studied the five again. My eyes narrowed as I gazed at them harder. There was something different. What was it, though? What was—

There were six beings at the table!

_I thought you said there were only five vampires attending school_, I growled at Tristan.

_I didn't lie to you_, Tristan said while carrying on an enthusiastic conversation with Jessica.

_There're six at the table_, I told him.

_That's impossible_, Tristan said, his eyes quickly darting from Jessica's face to the vampires. They widened in shock at what he saw. _I don't think that's a vampire, Bella._

_Then what is…_My thought died as the new girl moved and I got a glimpse of her peach colored skin. She was human and shouldn't have been anywhere near them. Humans generally wanted vampires, but tended to avoid being too close to them, whether it was because they felt inferior to them or could sense that they were dangerous, I didn't know. It was just the way things worked. Vampires had to use some kind of glamour to convince humans to stay by them, or they just hung out with the truly moronic ones.

Maybe that was what was going on here. Maybe the girl was a ditz with an IQ of five. I watched intensely for any signs that she had no brain, but the girl's dark blue eyes were clear, bright and focused. She was smart and looked happy to be surrounded by five vampires. But why was she there? What appeal did the vampires offer her? I mean, yes they were gorgeous, but what else was there?

I got my answer as the girl snuggled up to the side of the blonde male. I fought the urge to scream in outrage as he wrapped his arm around her and kissed her cheek.

They were a couple.

"Oh no," I breathed to myself.

"What's wrong, Bella?" Jessica asked. She followed my eyes and saw where I was staring horrified at. "You have a thing for Jasper," she concluded.

"What?" I asked, momentarily unfocused.

_Look at that!_ I yelled at Tristan.

_I know, I know_, he replied. _But calm down, Bella. She's in no immediate danger. They wouldn't hurt her here._

_They're dating!_ I screamed. _A vampire is fucking a human! No, no, no!_

_Bella, stop it_, Tristan demanded, roughly elbowing me in the side.

"You stupid bastard," I whispered under my breath. I raised my hand to flick him in the ear (one of his biggest pet peeves), but Jessica spoke then, which stopped me.

"It's all right," she reassured me. "We've all had crushes on him, too. But don't waste your time. Jacquie has been with him ever since they moved here, and they're practically perfect together. It's almost disgusting really. I get the sudden urge to gag whenever they're around."

"They…are dating," I mumbled.

"Yup," Jessica said. "I'm sorry if that destroyed all your dreams."

"My cousin doesn't have a heart," Tristan joked, though he sounded a bit unnerved. "She'll be fine."

"Yeah, I'm fine," I agreed, forcing myself to tear my eyes away from the vampires. I couldn't look at them anymore. If I did then I was going to end up doing something that would really piss off Headquarters and ruin all my chances as a team operator.

"Uh huh," Jessica said, obviously not believing me. "Are you two done?"

"Yes, we'll be back," Tristan said, getting up. "Come on, Bella. We need to take care of our trays."

"I could do it," Jessica offered, batting her eyes flirtatiously.

"But what would that make me?" Tristan asked, smiling at her. "I couldn't ask that."

"Oh okay," Jessica sighed dreamily.

"Come, Bella," Tristan demanded.

"You're not my mother," I growled as I got up and followed him. "This is very bad," I murmured as soon as we were away from the table.

"I know," Tristan said.

"What are we going to do?" I asked. "This isn't right. Vampires don't _date_ humans. They're as bad as you fruity fairies, thinking you're better than everything else."

"These particular vampires are anomalies," Tristan agreed, his face thoughtful. "I would love to know they're reasoning for allowing one of their own to be so intimate with a human."

"Maybe she doesn't know," I said, worrying for the poor girl. She would be screwed if the vampires threw their morals to the wind and started to dine on human blood once again, and I'd be going against everything I'd been taught if I let her suffer such a horrible fate.

"I think she may," Tristan said as we stacked our trays on top of everyone else's.

"And she's still around them." I shook my head. "No way. No human would willing be that stupid."

Tristan shrugged. "Love clouds judgment," he said.

"She can't be in love with him," I scoffed.

"There is that chance," Tristan said. "But we won't know until you talk with the vampires, get close with them."

"I won't be able to—Do you think I can just sit back and watch this relationship take place?" I asked.

"It'll be a challenge," Tristan said, and smiled as we reached our seats. "But don't you like challenges?


End file.
